Refrigerating apparatus



Dec. 26, 1933. H. B, HULL 1,940,717

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Original Filed Nov. 20 1926 Patented Dec. 26, 1933 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Harry B. Hull, Dayton, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Frigidaire Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application 8 Claims.

This invention relates to cooling units for mechanical refrigerators, and more particularly to cooling units which are adapted to be installed in a refrigerator cabinet of the household type.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a cooling unit of simple and economi-- one form of the present invention is clearly.

shown.

In the drawing Figs. 1 and 2 are front views partly in vertical section of refrigerator cabinets provided respectively with cooling units embodying two forms of the present invention; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on a line 33 of the cooling unit shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, 20 designates a refrigerator cabinet having an L-shaped food compartment 21 separated from a cooling chamber 22 by an L-shaped partition 23. As indicated by the arrow 24 warm air passes from chamber 21 to chamber 22 through a flue 25, is cooled by the cooling unit 30 (to be described) and descends as indicated by the arrow 26 through a flue 27.

Thecooling unit30 comprises a closely wound pipe coil 31 or a coil of pipe having convolutions thereof arranged in contiguous relation to one another which is suspended from the top wall of the cabinet 20 by bracket members 32 and 33. The coil 31 is located within the cooling compartment 22 so as to be in contact with air circulating through the compartment as indicated by the arrows 24' and 26. The coil 31 provides a wall cooperating with the front and rear walls of the cooling chamber 22 to enclose a space 34 which vis isolated from'the circulating air in the cabinet by the coil 31 and therefore may-be maintained at a lower temperature than the food compartment 21. The coil 31 encloses a coil 35 located within the space 34 and connected in series with the coil 31. It is apparent that the cooling unit provides what maybe termed a freezing zone for quickly freezing or congealing a substance and provides what may be termed a cooling zone for the general cooling of the refrigerator. Air pass 3 ing over coil 31 is cooled to the desired temperature for the refrigerator, not too cold for general refrigeration and the coil 35. being nested .with- November 20, 1926, Serial No. 149,761

Renewed March 1, 1933 in the coil 31 and thus protected from the effects of the circulating air, provides a freezing zone, the temperature of which may be maintained relatively low. The inlet end 36 of the coil 35 is connected with an expansion valve 3'7 which controls the flow of liquid refrigerant to the coil 35 from a refrigerant condensing apparatus connected to the expansion valve by a pipe 38. A pipe 39 connected with the outlet end of coil 31 conducts expanded refrigerant to the condensing machine. The expansion valve 37 is located pref erably in the space between the coils 35 and 31 so that this valve and the pipe 38 will be maintained at a low temperature, and so that the valve will not take up room required by the air circulating around the coil 31.

The coils 35 may be attached to and thermally connected with one or more metal sleeves 40, each adapted to receive a metal tray 41 for containing matter to be frozen.

In operation, liquefied refrigerant will enter the coil 35 and will begin to expand and thereby reduce the temperature of the space 34. Expansion of the refrigerant will continue in the coils 31 in order to reduce the temperature of the air circulating past these coils. During the course of operation frost will accumulate around the coil 35 and may even build up into contact with the interior of the-coil 31. Owing to the relatively great area of coil 31 exposed to circulating air, accumulation of frost upon the outside of coil 31 will be relatively slow. It is apparent that during the idle period of operation of the refrigerating machine, the exterior of the coil 31 will be at least partially defrosted, while the frost will remain upon the coil 35 to maintain a desired low temperature within the freezing space during the idle period of the achine.

The form of invention shown in Fig. 2 is particularly adapted for refrigerator cabinets having only a rectangular space which may be separated into a food compartment 21a and a cooling chamber 22a. by a detachable L-shaped partition 23a which stops short of the upper wall of the food'compartment 21a to provide a flue space 25a and short of a side wall of the cabinet to provide a flue space 2711. The coils 31a and-35a are similar in function to the coils 31 and 35 of the first form described, but are elongated horizontally so asto occupy the minimum space vertically.

While the form off-embodiment of the present invention as'herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is' to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

' zone'to provide a substantially solid wall of heat exchange material for shielding the freezing zone from the action of the circulating medium.

2. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigerators adapted to be placed in the path of medium to be cooled thereby, said cooling unit comprising heat exchange means in intimate contact with a refrigerant and with said medium to be cooled, said heat exchange means having a portion constructed and arranged to provide a freezing zone, and another portion comprising a plurality of duct means disposed in'close juxtaposition and spaced from the portion providing the freezing zone and surrounding the freezing zone "to provide a substantially solid wall of heat exchange material for shielding the freezing zone from the action of the circulating medium.

3. A cooling unit for mechanical refrigerators adapted to be placed in the path of medium to be cooled thereby, said cooling unit comprising heat exchange means in intimate contact with a refrigerant and with said medium to be cooled, said heat exchange means having a portion con- I structed and arranged to provide a freezing zone,

and another portion comprising a plurality of duct means disposed in close juxtaposition and spaced from the portion providing the freezing zone and on a plurality of sides of the freezing zone to provide a substantially solid wall of heat exchange material for shielding the freezing zone from the action of the circulating medium.

4. A cooling unit for a refrigerating apparatus adapted to be placed in the path of medium to be cooled thereby, said cooling unit comprising heat exchange means in intimate contact with a refrigerant and with said medium to be cooled, said heat exchange means including a portion constructed and arranged to provide a freezing zone, and other oontiguously arranged portions forming refrigerant conveying duct means and being spaced from the portion providing the freezing zone to provide a substantially solid wall of heat exchange material for shielding the freezing zone from the action of the circulating medium.

5. A cooling unit for a refrigerating apparatus adapted to be placed in the path of medium to be cooled thereby, said cooling unit com rising heat exchange means in intimate cont ct with v a refrigerant and with said medium to be cooled, said heat exchange means including a portion constructed and arranged to provide a freezing zone, and other oontiguously arranged portions forming refrigerant conveying duct means and being spaced from the portion providing the freezing zone and on a plurality of sides of the freezing zone to provide a substantially solid wall of heat exchange material for shielding the freezing zone from the action of the circulating medium. 7

6. A cooling unit for a refrigerating apparatus adapted to be placed in the path of medium to be cooled thereby, said cooling unit comprising heat exchange means in intimate contact with ,a refrigerant and with said medium to be cooled,

said heat exchange means including a portion constructed and arranged to provide a freezing zone, and other oontiguously arranged portions forming refrigerant conveying duct means and being spaced from the portion providing the freezing zone and surrounding the freezing zone to provide a substantially solid wall of heat exchange material for'shielding the freezing zone from the action of the circulating medium.

7. A cooling unit for a refrigerating apparatus adapted to be placed in the path of medium to be cooled thereby, said cooling unit comprising heat exchange means in, intimate contact with a refrigerant and with said medium to be cooled, said heat exchange means including a portion forming refrigerant conveying means constructed and arranged to provide a sharp freezing receptacle support, and other oontiguously arranged portions forming refrigerant conveying means and being spaced from the portion providing the sharp freezing support to provide a substantially solid wall of heat exchange material for shielding the freezing support from the action of the circulating medium. p

8. A cooling unit for a refrigerating apparatus adapted to be placed in the path of medium to be cooled thereby, said'cooling unit comprising heat exchange means in intimate contact with a refrigerant and with said medium to be cooled, said heat exchange means including a portion forming refrigerant conveying means constructed and arranged to'provide a sharp freezing zone, and other oontiguously arranged portions forming refrigerant conveying means and being spaced substantially concentrically from the portion providing the sharp freezing zone to provide a substantially solid wall of heat exchange material for shielding the freezing zone from the action of the circulating medium.

. HARRY B. HULL. 

